How the dream office works for those stuck in childhood
There is a job in the world where you don't want to leave home. Cozy office interior, ping-pong, game consoles and even free alcohol! And the work itself is connected with travel. This is the Expedia office in London.
The company topped the ranking of the best employers of the job search website Glassdoor. And no wonder: Expedia goes out of its way to keep employees happy. For example, if you work there for more than 12 months, the employer compensates for travel expenses from 6 to 10 thousand pounds.
On the roof of the office there is a spacious terrace where barbecue parties are constantly held, there are several free bars and many areas for communication and relaxation.
"What's the catch?" - you ask. “Perhaps in constant jet lag,” says CTO Liz Astow. Definitely, this is the most minor drawback.
(Total 20 photos)
From the outside, the Expedia office is no different from the buildings of other offices in London.
But inside, a more cheerful picture unfolds before us.
The wall at the reception is strewn with vacation photos of the company's employees. Employees have the opportunity to travel extensively thanks to generous bonuses that can reach up to $14,000.
Inside, as in many high-tech companies, there is ping-pong and a kicker.
There are also rarer Formula 1 simulators on the Steam gaming platform.
For fans of gaming consoles, there are also Sony Playstation and Xbox.
According to technical director Liz Astou, the company is trying to recreate the atmosphere of the game for adult children.
Employees have even designed a GPS-enabled tram that travels around the office delivering cupcakes and booze. Liz Astow says that her colleagues are too lazy to approach him, so they are working on installing special sensors on the tram so that he can “see” walls and go around corners and so that he can be controlled from his iPhone.
“We have cocktail and beer hours. Many people are interested in microbreweries and are looking for the most mysterious beer in the world,” says Astow.
However, perhaps one of the best features of the office is the huge roof terrace.
“A rooftop terrace in the summer is great, even though it can get you sunburned,” says recruiting consultant Cohn Marney.
“Once a month on Thursday we have a drinking party where the whole company gathers from five to about half past six or until the drinks run out. It's always a great platform for dialogue,” adds Marnie.
“This extra time is allowed here. You are not chained to your workplace for ten hours a day. It's more productive this way... If you need some time, you can go play ping-pong. You can go sit on the terrace to collect your thoughts.”
According to Liz Astow, Expedia has a very open atmosphere. “I don't think it matters to anyone here whether you're a woman, a two-headed monster, or a guy. Your voice is heard here and it encourages you to contribute, which is amazing and wonderful.”
Tablets are attached to dining tables.
Of course, not only play here. “I think one of the challenges we face as a global company is when you have to negotiate on the phone late at night,” says Marney.
“I participated in teleconferences at five in the morning and at eleven at night, and I think that this is not easy. On the other hand, there is no fixed schedule,” Marney says.
All meeting rooms are brightly decorated, and each in its own way.
CTO Liz Astow agrees that working for a global company is both a plus and a minus. “The worst part of my job is probably the jet lag,” she says, adding that she only went to bed at 3 a.m. after returning from a business trip to Seattle.